Process of peeling peaches or other fruits or vegetables.



S. l. DUNKLEY. LING PEACHES 08 OTHER FRUITS 0R VEGETABLES.

PROCESS OF PEE APPUCATION FILED HJNE25. I914- Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

lllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIL w W a S. J. DUNKLEY. PROCESS OF FEELING PEACHES OR OTHER FRUITS 0R VEGETABLES- APPLlCATlON FILED IUNE 25.19M-

Pat-ented Aug. 21, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

III I I III! ll-IIII V ll lllllll H IUH llllll III UHl l l l l l l l h HI- U f lllllllll l lllllllilll l 1 lllll. lllllllllllFL S. J. DUNKLEY. PROCESS OF PEELJNG PEACHES OR OTHER FRUITS 0R VEGETABLES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 25, I914. 1,237,623. Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

S. .I. DUNKLEY.

PROCESS OF FEELING PEACHES OR OTHER FRUITS 0R VEGETABLES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1914. 1,239,623. Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

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' ED STATES ATE SAMUEL .T. DUNKLEY, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNltIIlilhI'JJS, TO DUNKLEY COMPANY, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

rnocEss on FEELING PEAonEs on OTHER FRUITS on VEGETABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An". 21, 1am.

Original application filed November 29', 1904, Serial No. 234,715.. Patented July 21,1914, No. 1,104,175. Divided and this application filed Iune25, 1914. Serial No. 847,275.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. DUNKLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain vegetables.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved process by means of which peaches or other fruit or vegetables may be peeled very rapidly and easily and without injury to or abrasion or mutilation of the fruit or vegetables and by means of which the skin or peel may be removed without wasting the pulp or meat of the fruit or vegetable.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of operation will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. v

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

The machine or apparatus by means of which I carry out my improved process is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which: Y I

Figures I and I taken together, are a top plan view of a machine in which I carry out my improved process.

Figs. II and II taken together, are a view in side elevation of'the machine shown in Figs. I and I Fig. III is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. I showing in detail the arrangement of the perforated pipes for delivering peeling jets and the brushes for rotating and advancing the Fig. IV is a fragmentary top plan view, showing one set of perforated pipes for delivering peeling jets and one set of the brushes for rotating and advancing the Fig. V is an enlarged detail'cross sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. III.

Fig. VI is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. III.

Fig. IX is a detail elevational view of the I mechanism for shaking the chute or hopper.

In the drawing, all of the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines, and similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing, A represents the frame of the machine, and B is a tank or chamber containing a heated fluid b for disintegrating, loosening or shriveling the skins of the specimens of fruit or vegetables as they are conveyed through the tank. The skin disintegrating fluid in the tank or chamber B may be composed of a water solution of some alkaline material. C is a heater for heating the skin loosening or disintegrating medium 1), consisting of steam pipes or coils in the bottom of the tank B and connected with a steam supply pipe 0. The skin loosening or disintegrating liquid is contained in a reservoir C having a'heater C and is delivered to the tank B as required, through a supply pipe C D'is a conveyer which carries the specimens of fruit or vegetables into, through and out of the skin loosening and disintegrating liquid 6 in the tank Bf This conveyer or carrier D consists of an endless conveyer traveling on pulleys D D provided at each end of the tank B and said conveyer is provided with transverse webs d and longitudinal webs of dividing-it into a series of buckets or receptacles adapted to hold several specimens, say six or eight, in a transverse row and adapted to automatically arrange the specimens in a-single'layer therein so as to cause them to be uniformly subjected to the action ofthe skin disintegratingfiuid.

The tank B isprovided with'guides or tracks B B for guiding and supporting the endless conveyer D. The upper guide trance end of the tank and an upward incline B at the exit from the tank. E is an open screen of wire netting or of any other suitable material, secured to the tank B just above the path of the upper run of the endless conveyer D to hold the specimens in the of the skin loosening or disintegrating liquid. I

E is a feed chute or hopper having partitions E into which the specimens are emptied in bulk, and by which they are fed a or delivered tothe endless conveyer D. As the endless conveyer D passes over or around the pulley wheel D at the exit end of the tank, the specimens are automatically delivered into the inclined and tapering chutes F, there being one of said chutes for each longitudinal partition of the conveyer, and the specimens are thus fed or delivered in single file between the water pipes and .brushes of the peeling mechanism by which the loosened disintegrated or shriveled skins are remove and the specimens are thoroughly washed andfreed from all taint or trace of the skin disintegrating liquid.

This peeling mechanism comprises a group of three perforated water pipes G, havin a series of perforations 9 arranged to deliver jets of water striking the specimens as they are conveyed along between the pipes, and tending to impart to the specimens a rotary movement. The peeling mechanism further comprises an endless brush H, traveling on pulleys .II, H -between the two lowermost water pipes G, G,

by means of which the specimens are con-' veyed along in single file and at the same time are brushed somewhat as they are rotated. This peeling mechanism further comprises a pair of oppositely'rotating cylindrical brushes K K each of which has a hollow perforated water pipe K for flooding the brushes with water as they rotate. The bristles 0r brushing material of the brushes K K may be of any suitablematerial but I find it desirable to use vegetable fiber for this purpose. The bristles or brushing material on the cylindrical brush K are spirally disposed, and the two brushes K and K are rotated at different speeds so as to turn or rotate the specimens as they are conveyed along between the brushes by the endless belt brush Haj For a portion of their length the rotary brushes K K are provided 1 with soft rubber sponge brushing material the back'or base web k ofwhlch is pro- 'vided with perforations k to flood the rubberv sponge material with water from the pipe" K If desired, this rubber sponge material 70 may be used for the entire length of the brushes K K although I prefer to employ a bristle-like brushing material for a portion of the length of .these rotary brushes. In practice for firm meated fruit or vegetables, the use of fiber brushes for the entire length has been found highly satisfactory and is the most economical." The perforated water pipes G G G, extend beyond the rotary brushes K K so that the sprays or jets may entirely free the surface of the specimens from any. particles of skin or peel.

The required movements may be imparted to the several movng parts of my machine by any suitable means or mechanism. The endless conveyer D is preferably driven continuously and at a slow speed, timed to subject the specimens to the action of the hot skin disintegrating liquid 12 just for the time required to disintegrate and loosen the peel of the specimen without softening or cooking the pulp beneath the skin to an appreciable depth or extent, by means of a belt M and driving pulley M on the driving shaft M and gears M M the gear M being on the shaft D which carries the rear sprocket Wheels D The feed chute or hopper E is given a horizontal shaking or vibratory movement from the 'shaft N through the crank N pitman N and lever N This shaking means is not needed for round fruit or vegetables. The several endless belt brushes H are driven continuously from the driving shaft B through the pulley R the pulleys H of the belt brushes at one end be ing on the shaft R. Continuous rotary motionis communicated to the rotary brushes K K from the driving shaft R through a \twisted belt R and pulley R on the shaft R having beveled gears R meshing with the bevel gears R on the hollow water pipe K of the rotary brushes. Water under pressure is supplied to the hollow shafts of the several rotary brushes from the supply pipe T, having branches t leading to each of the rotary brushes, and connected to its hollow core or shaft by stufling boxes The water supply pipe T also has branches t leading to the perforated water pipes G. With higher pressures smaller jet openings may be used in the pipes G and thus the quantity of water may be reduced.

The first step of my improved process consists in disintegrating, loosening or shriveling the skins of the specimens of fruit or v'egetables' which are to be peeled. In the machine which I have here shown and described this is accomplished by passing the specimens through an alkaline solution which has the effect of disintegrating and loosening the skins or peels so that they may be very easil' removed by the subsequent treatment. 11 order to render the water peeling means available the skins must be suitably disintegrated or loosened. The particular alkaline treatment which I have ere described is highly effective to accomplish this, but I am sure that disintegration or loosening may be accomplished otherwise and clearly. when the skin of the fruit or vegetable is disintegrated, the peelbut may also be used for mg jets do the work of peeling the fruit or vegetable. After having been sub ected to the influence and action of the skin disintegrating or loosening medium, or means,

mens offruitor vegetables are rotated by these means peeling water jets are directed upon them from the perforated water pipes G. The peel is removed from the specimens partly by means of the peeling jets delivered from the perforated water pipes G and partly by means of the brushing action of the rotarybrushes K and K which rotate and advance the fruit. The presence of these brushes is highly desirable as they aid' in rotating the fruit and brushing the same to remove a portion of the skin therefrom. However, I have found that'this is not necessary but that the peeling jets alone eflec-. ted and loosened skins, providedthat the peeling jets are so directed as to play upon all sides of the The brushes may be omitted, althoughthey are desirable.

'- The process which I have here described is especially adapted for peeling peaches peeling fruit or vegetables WlthOllt change.

This application is a division'of my application, Serial No. 234,715, filed November I have found, however, that it is desirable.

I am aware that the particular steps of my improved process which I have here descrlbed are susceptible of considerable varlation without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I do not wish to be restricted to the same. Certain of these steps may also be omitted without departlng from the spirit of my invention.

to carry out the process as described, and, therefore, I desire to claim the same specifilly, as well as broadly, as indicated'by my appended claims. l Y

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. The process of pee tables consisting in subjecting the specimens thereof to the action of a. skin loosening and disintegrating solution for auniform period of time, advancing said specimens, rotating, brushing, and peeling jets frhits and vegepgn said specimens, substantially asspecie l 2. The process of peeling fruitsand vegetables, consisting in loosening. and ,dislntegrating the skins. of the specimens thereof, advancing said specimens, rotating, brushing, and directing peeling water jets upon said' specimens as they advance, substantially as specified. v

3. The process of vpeeling fruits and vegetables, consisting in disintegrating and loosening the skins of the specimens thereof, advancing said specimens, rotating and dlrecting peeling water'jets upon sald specimens asthey advance, substantially as specified.

4. The process of peeling fruits and vegetables, consisting in loosening and disin tegrating the of the specimens thereof, advancing said specimens, and directing peeling water jets upon said specimens as they advance during a continuous operation, substantially as specified.

5'. The process herein described of peeling fruits and vegetables which process consists in subjecting the fruit or vegetables to a bath of heated disintegrating solution for the purpose of loosening the skin thereof;

and then passingnfhe fruit into the range of-action of hy ulic spraysof sufiicient force to remove the loosened skin.

6. The process herein-described of peeling fi-uits and vegetables which process consists in subjecting the fruit or vegetablesto a bath of disintegrating-solution for the purpose of loosening the skin thereof and then passing the fruit into the range of action of hydraulic sprays ofsuflicient force to reaction of a disintegrating-solution having the capacity to loosen and dislntegrate th skin thereof, and then subjecting the fruit or vegetable so treated to the actlon of fluid sprays and substantially coordinately therewith imparting motion to the fruit or veg'etable.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses. 

